Just Say It Already
by Nonny The Anon One
Summary: IMPROVED! Fluffy one shot. A look at how Danny might find out about Sam's feelings DxS naturally.  R&R please.


**I hope you enjoy this nice fluffy one shot. The ending was a little rushed so I flushed it out a bit. I hope you still find it as enjoyable as before. Maybe more so now.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom or the related characters.**

Just Say It Already

Tucker looked at Sam, who was looking at Danny, who was looking over toward Valerie who was walking across the cafeteria carrying her lunch tray. Danny sighed as Valerie set her tray down at a table with Star and sat. Sam sighed as she looked over at Valerie. Tucker sighed and shook his head.

"Clueless," Tucker thought. He had two clueless dunderheaded friends. He shook his head as he watched Sam covertly watching Danny as he covertly watched Valerie. Sam's demeanor grew quieter and quieter and Tucker just wished the girl would say something to Danny about her feelings. Tucker was all about being up front about those sort of things. Look how many girls he had asked out over the last six months. Ok, put aside the fact that one hundred percent of them said absolutely not, but at least he was straight forward about what he wanted.

"I'm going to head to class a little early," Danny said as he looked up at the clock and noticed there were ten minutes left in the lunch period. "I'm trying really hard to raise my grade."

"See you later," Sam said in an apathetic tone. Danny looked at her a moment then at Tucker who only smiled back.

"We're all three still on for tonight…right?" Danny asked shifting his gaze from Sam to Tucker and giving him a questioning look.

"I'm in," Tucker said then looked at Sam.

"Yeah," Sam sighed. "I guess." Tucker shook his head and shrugged his shoulders as he looked back at Danny. Danny himself faltered. Something was up with Sam. He wondered if he should stay and talk with her or head to class. He looked up at the clock. Well, there really wasn't much time to talk. This afternoon though, he'd find out what was bothering Sam. Her moods seemed much blacker than usual lately.

"See you guys later," Danny said then walked and scratching his head in what looked like confusion.

Tucker leaned toward Sam. "Why don't you just tell him?" he asked for what he felt was for the billionth time.

"Tucker," Sam said in a menacing tone of voice. "Just let it go." She reached for her books and opened a green notebook and tried to look over her notes for her next class.

"Yeah but unless you tell him, he's never going to realize that you…." Tucker started. Sam looked up and glared at Tucker. The look in her eyes said shut up or else.

"I'm just trying to make you both happy," Tucker said defensively as he put up his hands as if to protect himself from assault. "Because you've grown so pensive and distant lately that even The Clueless One is noticing your behavior."

Sam looked up at Tucker, her expression one of near hopefulness. "He noticed? Really?"

"It's rather hard not to Miss Moodypants," Tucker replied as he looked up at the clock and grabbed his grey back pack. "You've been in some somber Goth dreamland lately."

A look of realization washed over Sam and her shoulders dropped. "I'm sorry," Sam said. "I just have a lot on my mind lately." She straightened her posture.

"Yeah well," Tucker said as he stood and waited for Sam to gather her books together. "I bet you're going to deny that the thoughts swirling around your head haven't been about Danny. Because I know better. Danny might be clueless but I'm not."

Sam shot him a pained look and sighed heavily. "Can't you give it a rest Tuck? Endlessly picking on me about this is not going to make things any better."

"All right," Tucker said reluctantly. "But you have to lighten up Sam. It's giving me a headache watching you pine over Danny."

"I'm not pining over Danny!" Sam denied as she shoved her books into her purple spider book bag. She gave Tucker an angry look and he smiled.

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Danny was proud of himself. He'd finished his test and had time to sit and doodle in class. He opened his notebook and surveyed his past work. Technus as a puppy. Skulker as a mouse. The box ghost in a boxing ring. Tucker kissing his PDA. Valerie in ghost hunting form. Sam angry. Sam happy. Sam annoyed. Sam dressed like a princess. Sam in a field of flowers. Sam with a chicken on her head. Danny tapped his pencil on the paper as he leafed through his book.

Why did he draw Sam so much? Well, mostly because it was fun when he saw the look on her face when she saw the silly situations he put her in. He sighed, but Sam hadn't been herself lately. Something was bothering her and Danny had been too busy fighting ghosts or homework to spend much time with either her or Tucker. Maybe that was her problem. Could it be that she felt the growing distance in their friendships and was upset?

Danny began to sketch out a picture of Sam looking wistful and forlorn. He sighed. People were always making assumptions about Sam and himself. Sam was always quick to vehemently deny that they were anything more than friends.

Danny sighed as he leaned his head on his hand and sketched Sam's eyes. There was a time when he thought that he was starting to have feelings for her, but she made it all too clear that well, she obviously didn't feel the same way. The only time Danny allowed his thoughts and emotions to linger too deeply on Sam any more was when he was drawing. He ran his pencil along the paper, drawing her face. Danny sighed as the sketching became like a caress. He sketched her nose and mouth and ears. He knew her face by heart.

Suddenly Danny stopped drawing and chastised himself. He had promised himself sometime ago that he would stop crushing on his best friend. He had resolved to put effort only into relationships with girls who returned his feelings, like Valerie. But of course Valerie was more into ghost hunting than she was Danny. Yes, she had admitted to liking him, but that's as far as it went. He liked her too, but well the relationship never truly got off the ground. His thoughts brought him back to Sam. He sighed then began to sketch again.

Danny guarded his feelings for Sam more carefully than his ghostly identity. He was fairly sure Tucker, who was shrewd and noticed every little detail of everything, was aware of Danny's feelings for Sam. He was always dropping hints and saying things which Danny did his best to ignore. He ignored everyone's effort to push him toward Sam. When they made comments, he pretended like he didn't hear them. He ignored the teasing, acted…well clueless.

For the most part, the ghost boy had hidden his feelings even from himself and buried them deep. The truth of the matter, he believed, was that Sam was never going to return his affections. She made that very apparent. If he let slip even for a moment that his feelings leaned toward the deeper feelings of love then Sam would…reject him. Their friendship would erode and he would have lost her. Danny stared at his sketch of Sam, her expression had evolved into a glare of disapproval.

Danny could take it when unattainable girls he didn't really care that much about, like Paulina, rejected him. He could even deal when girls such as Valerie, whom he really did like dumped him. But Sam and her probable rejection was just something he didn't think he could face.

Danny sighed. He could imagine Sam's response, almost hear her voice filled with pity. "Oh Danny," she would say as she sat beside him. "I care about you, but only as a friend. You and Tucker are like the brothers I've never had." Or even worse she might tell him that she secretly was in love with Tucker and Danny would be eaten up by jealousy…which he was at times, Tuck and Sam seemed to spend a great deal of time together. But really, he didn't think he'd be able to bear the look of pity in her eyes or the statement that they were just good friends.

"Okay," Danny said as he put down his pencil and closed his sketch book. "That's enough torment for one day." He refused to allow his thoughts to rest so heavily on Sam. She was his best friend. He depended on her. He cared about her. That was it. Best friends that was all. Nothing more. Nothing more. He repeated that over and over until he made himself believe it. For so many reasons, he could never act on his feelings for Sam. He had to forget the feelings. He needed her too much to risk losing her support. He loved her too much to let her out of his life.

The bell rang and Danny gathered his books together. By the time he saw Tuck and Sam again he was almost feeling like his usual self. Both Tucker and Sam looked at him strangely for a moment. He smiled at both of them in a rather self conscious way.

"What's up with you?" Tucker asked Danny as he surveyed him for a moment. "You look kinda…crushed." Danny gave Tucker an irritated look.

"Awwww," Sam said as she patted Danny on the arm. "Don't pick on Danny. Looks like he did bad on the test."

Danny relaxed. "Well actually," he said. "I did pretty good."

Sam shook her head. "Raising the standard Danny. Not good. Gonna expect it of you every time now." Danny grinned at her. She grinned back for a moment then her expression saddened and she looked away. Danny swallowed hard. Something was definitely going on with Sam. He didn't have time talk with her before they headed off to their next class. But he promised himself that he'd find out what was bothering her.

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Sam sighed as she sat next to Danny in English class. She looked on his desk and noticed he was doodling in his notebook again. She waited until Lancer wasn't looking then leaned over and swiped the book from Danny. He only grinned at her as she looked at the picture. It was a crude drawing of her surfing waves in a bikini. Sam suppressed a bark of laughter and dressed her figure in a more Goth appropriate outfit. She smirked at Danny then leafed through a few of the pages. He'd drawn her with a chicken on her head. She gave him a strange look and he grinned. Then she turned the page and surveyed a picture of her looking sad and disapproving. Unlike the rest of his doodles of her there was nothing silly about this drawing. She wondered if this is how he saw her, looking glum and a little bit angry.

Sam admitted to herself as she picked up her pencil and drew a big egg, that she was feeling glum and a little bit angry. She sketched the Danny Phantom emblem on the egg and then his head sticking out of the cracked top. After the situation with Valerie it became more urgent that Sam at least act on her feelings for Danny. It was either make her move or lose him all together. She wasn't ready to take that risk. It was too much. But why? Well first of all it would give too many people the pleasure of saying, "See we were right." So, pride was a big factor.

The fact that she and Danny were close friends and if should things not work out between them well, the consequences were better left unsaid, it was something she simply couldn't bear to think about. Then there was the overwhelming evidence that Danny had no interest in her in that special way. His attention was always being diverted to other girls, first Paulina then Valerie.

Sam wondered who would be next and if she could take it, because his next relationship was bound to be more serious. Of course she could suppress her feelings to see Danny happy. He deserved happiness. Then finally, there was the horror he displayed when people assumed they were a couple. Yes, that told her that his interest in her stopped right at friendship's door and no further.

Sam finished her drawing then looked up. Lancer's back was turned so she slid the notebook back over to Danny. He looked at the alteration on his surfing Sam then smiled at the egg picture she'd drawn. He turned a page and wrote something quickly on the notebook then looked at Lancer. Danny slid the book over to her then turned his attention back to the teacher.

Sam looked down at the notebook. He'd written her a note. "Is everything all right? You've seemed really unhappy lately."

"Oh yeah Danny," Sam thought as she tapped her pencil on the notebook. "This is the absolute perfect time for a heart to heart chat." She considered for a moment being bluntly honest and dropping the bomb on him. It's not like he could say anything right now. It would almost be easier this way.

Sam thought for a moment then wrote, "I've just had a lot on my mind lately. It's nothing important. You shouldn't have to worry about the state of my mind, just your own." She passed the note back and watched out of the corner of her eye as Danny read. He sighed then began writing. He watched Lancer for a moment then passed the notebook back.

Sam looked down and read, "Is it about your parents? Ghosts? Tucker maybe?" Tucker? Sam thought, yeah it was possible for thoughts of Tucker to bring her down. Suddenly the realization hit her and leaned her head against her hand and suppressed a huge grin. It was so funny. Danny was so close yet so far away. She thought for a moment. What should she tell him? She smirked.

Tucker himself would be proud of the following line she began to write. "I think I might be in love with someone, but he doesn't know I exist." Sam swallowed hard then continued to write. "You know how it is. Been there done that right?" She considered keeping the notebook, even though it was Danny's or ripping out the page. She cast a look at Lancer then slid the book over to Danny. She closed her eyes, afraid to look over at Danny's reaction.

Danny looked down at his notebook and was thunderstruck. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath as he rubbed the back of his neck and looked up at Lancer. Okay, it was bound to happen sooner or later. What was he going to do about it? What could he do about it? He'd have to be supportive. Danny began to feel sick to his stomach. He wrote, "Who is it? Do I know him?" Danny looked around the class room with a tinge of dread. Was he in this class? "Is he in this room?"

Sam bit her lip as she read Danny's question. She determined that now was as good as any other time. At least she wouldn't have to deal with a gasp and look of horror or pity in his eyes. "Yes, you know him. Yes, he's in this room," she wrote quickly. Her heart began fluttering. She took a deep breath and passed the notebook over to Danny. She watched him go still as he read her words.

Danny read Sam's response then looked around the room almost frantically. Jealousy gripped painfully at his heart. Who could it be? His gaze lit on Tucker who was unaware of the dialogue taking place between his two friends. "Who is it?" Danny wrote. "Tell me or else. Or else what? You ask. Tell me or else I'll haunt you forever."

It was hard for Sam not to laugh when she read Danny's reply. Little did he know that she had no problem with him haunting her forever. In many ways, he was already and would always haunt her. She twisted her pencil between her fingers as she contemplated her next step. She could lead him to asking more questions or she could simply lay it all out on the table. "It's not Tuck if that's what you're thinking." She wrote then handed the notebook back.

"Who?" Danny wrote urgently then quickly handed the book to Sam, almost dropping it in the process.

Sam took several deep breaths then wrote the three little letters that would change it all. "You." She was just about to slide the notebook over to Danny before she lost her courage, when a hand landed on the top page. She gasped as she looked up at Lancer. He was staring back grimly. He took the notebook, closed it, and took it up to the front of the class and placed it on his desk.

Sam looked at Danny for a moment he was looking back questioningly. Sam felt an overwhelming sense of panic rising up and crashing over her in horrible waves. The realization of what she almost told Danny hit her like a splash of cold water. She calmed herself. There was no harm actually done. Danny hadn't read her reply. All she needed to do was get the notebook before he did.

Danny could see the panic in Sam's eyes. She'd answered his question otherwise she wouldn't have such a frantic look on her face. He looked at his notebook sitting innocently on Lancer's desk. He could tell that Sam was having second thoughts about answering his question. He sighed. If he wanted to know Sam's answer, he had to get to the notebook before she did.

The bell rang and both Danny and Sam remained in their desks. Tucker stood, turned and looked at them both. He opened and closed his mouth and was about run over as Danny and Sam both rushed to Lancer's desk. Sam grabbed the notebook. Lancer gave her a disapproving look.

"I advise you, Ms. Manson, to think twice before you pass notes in my class again," The teacher said as he lanced her with a sharp glare. She nodded her head and ran out of the room with Danny not too far behind. Tucker sighed and followed them both.

Sam ran into the girl's bathroom then took a deep breath. Danny wasn't able to follow her in thank goodness. She quickly leafed through the notebook and found the offending page. Sam tore the page out of the book then crumpled it up and walked out of the bathroom. Danny was standing outside the bathroom looking rather perturbed. Tucker was looking a little shocked and Sam a lot relieved. She crumpled up the paper further and shoved it into her book bag.

"What's going on?" Tucker asked warily. Did he really want to know?

Danny and Sam stared each other down for a moment then Sam's face broke into a smile. "It's nothing Tucker," she said. "Danny and I got caught passing notes that's all."

"Sam told me she likes someone in Lancer's class, only she won't tell me who!" Danny said in an angry tone of voice. "What's the big deal Sam?"

"Whoa," Tucker said as he held up his hands. "I don't want to be involved in this one." He took a few steps back and Danny looked at him.

Danny gave Tucker a hurt look. "You know don't you?"

Tucker looked at Sam who gave him a warning look. "Yeah I know," Tucker answered.

Danny turned to Sam. "Why does he know and I don't?" he asked as he pointed to Tucker.

"Uhhh," Sam started to say then looked to Tucker for help.

"Because I am observant. Not clueless like someone else we know," Tucker answered then looked at Sam and shook his head.

"Can we let this die now?" Sam said as she started walking away. "I really don't feel like discussing it right now."

Danny hesitated for a moment. He had to know. Not knowing who Sam had a crush on was going to drive him insane, for more reasons than one. He thought a moment then caught up with Sam. He phased his hand through her bag and came back with a crumpled sheet of note book paper. He stopped and looked at Tucker who was giving him a look of disapproval. Danny smiled guiltily then shoved the paper in his pocket.

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"So," Tucker said to Sam as they waited for Danny who was standing in line at the refreshment counter. As usual for a Friday night, they were going to see a movie. Sam looked at Tucker questioningly.

"So what?" She asked, trying to play off his question.

"So what did you write in that note?" Tucker asked out right.

Sam gave her friend and annoyed look and sighed. "The truth," She answered. "But fortunately Lancer caught us passing notes before the big revelation."

"Sad," Tucker said as he shook his head. "You should just tell him already."

"No," Sam growled. "And don't you tell him either."

"I wouldn't dream of it Sam," Tucker said then laughed. "The pleasure is all yours."

Danny looked at Sam and Tucker as they argued. He was pretty sure that Sam hadn't been referring to Tucker in her note, she even said as much. But, what if she was just trying to tell him gently. He watched Sam fold her arms across her chest and turned her back to Tucker who was motioning to Danny. Sam was shaking her head. He'd get the information out of one or the other. Then her remembered he had the note. He smiled in relief then took a deep breath and fished it out of his pocket.

The line moved forward and Danny looked at Sam and Tucker again as he uncrumpled the note. He took a deep breath as he read the one little word that would change everything. "You." Danny felt a flush rise up and burn his cheeks.

"Me?" He asked and took a disbelieving breath. Was he reading that right? Was it a joke? He looked over at Sam who was glaring at Tucker who was obviously teasing her about something. Him? How long had she felt this way? Danny couldn't suppress the smile on his face or the joy rising up in his heart as he let the realization hit him. All the feelings he'd been pushing away for what seemed like forever washed through him and his smile turned in to a grin. His turn in the line came and he stepped up. The man behind the counter observed Danny's beaming grin and smiled back.

"You look like you've just received some good news," the clerk observed as he took Danny's money and gave him popcorn and three drinks in a tray.

"Yeah," Danny answered. "Great news." He took his purchases and turned to his friends. Now the only question was to figure out how to tell her he knew. He paused then began to doubt. Maybe she was joking with him. Maybe it wasn't really him. His smile faded as he approached. Sam turned and looked at him, her expression softened and he knew for sure. His giddy smile returned as he handed her the tub of popcorn.

She gave him a doubtful look. "What's with you?" she asked. Tucker looked back and forth between the two and rolled his eyes.

"Nothing," Danny said as he gave Tucker his soda. "Everything is great!" Tucker looked at Sam who shrugged her shoulders and they went into the theater.

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"What's with Danny?" Tucker asked Sam as they walked out of the theater and into the lobby after the movie.

"I was just going to ask you the same question," Sam answered. "He's acting very strange."

"Smiling." Tucker nodded. "Too much."

"Like he knows something we don't know," Sam whispered as Danny happily approached.

"Maybe he liked the movie," Tucker suggested as he threw away his trash.

"Uhh it wasn't that good of a movie," Sam said then watched Danny as he came to stand beside her, smiling still. She gave him a worried frown and felt his forehead. "No Fever."

Danny took Sam's hand and grasped it. "Hey Tuck," he said. "Do you mind if I um…talk to Sam alone?"

Tucker gave him a stunned look then looked at Sam who opened and closed her mouth. "You look like a fish," He said to her. Sam narrowed her eyes. Tucker looked at Danny. "Go take her. Talk to her." He smirked

Sam said nothing as Danny lead her out of the theater into the cool evening. Sam was terribly aware that Danny still held her hand as they walked slowly down the street.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked worriedly. "Did something happen?"

Danny took a deep breath. "Yeah." He answered. "Something did happen. And I really need to talk to you about it."

"Okay," Sam said. "Then start talking. I can't believe we just left Tuck back there.." She gestured to the theater.

"I'm sure Tuck understands," Danny told her as he stopped and looked at her.

"Uh," Sam stammered. "Tuck understands a lot..I guess." She frowned. "What's going on Danny?"

"I stole this from your back pack," Danny said as he handed Sam a crumpled piece of paper. Sam looked at the paper in his hand and her eyes widened. She looked at Danny again and flushed a nice shade of deep red.

"Ha ha!" she laughed stiltedly. "About that note…"

"Is it true?" Danny asked softly.

Sam looked away and stepped back as though she was looking for a means of escape. "You know how it is..." she said as Danny took her hand, keeping her from fleeing. Not that she was going to run. No she wouldn't run.

"I do?" Danny asked. "I'm not sure. Why don't you tell me?"

Sam smiled sheepishly. "I don't know what to tell you," she answered trying to be evasive.

"Just the truth," Danny said. "Is it true? Do you really like me….like that?"

"Maybe," Sam shrugged uncomfortably.

"You said that I don't know you exist!" Danny told her in an upset tone of voice. "How can you think that? I've always known you've existed."

"How can I think that?" Sam asked in almost outrage. She looked at Danny a moment then clutched her hands to her chest and said in a dramatic voice. "Oh look its Paulina. I have difficulty talking to pretty girls." She gave Danny a pointed look and he sighed.

"Okay but that's Paulina. I've kinda not felt very comfortable telling my best friend that she's so hot it burns." Danny said quickly a painful flush stinging his cheeks. "So yeah it's true. I have difficulty talking to pretty girls, even you."

Sam cleared her throat and looked away from Danny's gaze. "I didn't know you thought of me like that." She said. "I didn't think that you saw me as anything but plain Sam."

Danny rolled his eyes. "You drive me crazy! You're sure as heck not plain and hell yes I've always seen you." His eyes took on a wicked gleam and he added. "Maybe too much of you.

Sam's eyes widened and then she started laughing. "You better be joking Danny or else I'm going to have to gouge out your eyes or something."

"Okay," was his reply. She narrowed her eyes at him and they kept walking.

"Why haven't you ever told me how you feel?" Danny asked.

"Well duh!" Sam answered. "Why haven't you told me?"

Danny he rubbed the back of his neck and said, "I just didn't want to risk losing you as my friend."

"That wouldn't have happened." Sam said as she started walking. She needed to walk in order to process what had just taken place between Danny and herself.

"I've loved you for a long time Danny," Sam finally admitted. "But I figured you wouldn't or couldn't see me that way. Tucker knows. He's known for a long time too. I think everyone knows."

"I didn't know." Danny said as he squeezed her hand.

Sam laughed. "That's cause you're clueless."

"Yeah," Danny sighed. "Maybe I am. But I've been trying to hide my feelings for you for a long time too." They walked for awhile in silence.

"Now what?" Sam asked. "I mean everything is out in the open now. What's next?"

Danny thought for a moment. "Well first we need to tell Tucker. I think he deserves to know."

Sam swallowed hard. "Tell Tucker what?"

"And you call me clueless," Danny laughed. "That we like, you know!"

"I know what?" Sam asked as she pushed to hear him say it.

"That I love you too okay?" Danny asked as he looked away in embarrassment.

"Oh he knows," Sam said feeling rather stunned. "Trust me. Tuck knows everything." They both laughed and Danny put his arm around Sam.

"Then what?" Sam asked worriedly already imagining the pitfalls their relationship would have to face..

"This!" Danny answered as he turned Sam toward him and kissed her softly.

"Oh!" Sam said as he moved away. Her eyes were sparkling. "That's okay with me." Danny laughed and kissed her again. Sam felt as though her heart was going to burst from happiness.

The two love birds looked at each other for a few seconds then shared a rather long normally blush inducing kiss, then began walking back to the theater, where they assumed Tucker was waiting patiently.

"For a Goth girl," Danny said. "You look entirely too happy."

Sam laughed. "For a Goth girl, I am entirely too happy." They smiled each other as they stopped at the theater door and went inside.

Tucker took a good look at the twosome walking arm in arm, radiant smiled in place on their each of their faces and he smiled too. "Finally you two!" he said as they approached. "It's about time!" Danny and Sam laughed.

"Are you ready to go?" Danny asked Tucker.

"Sure," Tucker answered. "But why don't you go on without me? I think you two have a lot to talk about."

Danny and Sam looked at each other a moment then smiled. "Thanks Tuck," Sam said.

"Yeah don't mention it," Tucker said as he waved the two lovebirds away. He sighed as he watched them leave the theater. Two girls walked up and stood beside him.

"She made her move huh?" one of the girls asked wistfully.

"Yup," Tucker answered in satisfaction.

"Darn," The other girl sighed. Both girls looked on in disappointment then turned to Tucker.

"So," the dark haired girl asked. "Do you like brunettes?" Tucker grinned.

**THE END**

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**There you go! New and improved. I even added a kissing scene. Writing kissing scenes are very embarrassing for me, so in recompense, please review!**

**Thank you!**


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